DFI ACTIVITIES DFI’s 37th Annual Conference: Honors, Awards, Hospitality DFI’s 37th Annual Conference in Houston featured a new award, adding to the growing list of honors presented each year amidst the mix of technical sessions, exhibits, meetings and celebratory events. Robert Bittner was named DFI’s 22nd president, succeeding the two year tenure of Jim Morrison. Other officers were named: Matthew Janes serves as secretary and John Wolosick as treasurer, each for one year terms. Bob Bittner receives the presidential gavel from Jim Morrison Every year the annual meeting has a similar format, but there are many variations on those themes. The event changes as new speakers present and new participants mingle with both new and familiar faces. The camaraderie continues. In the exhibit hall, competitors compare notes and stories, and at the many communal meals from casual breakfasts to formal dinners, and in hallway conver- sations and committee meetings, the spirit of DFI prevails. The original idea of exchanging views and wisdom among contractors, engineers, equipment makers and suppliers in the deep foundations industry withstands the test of time. The Annual Conference’s principal award, DFI’s Outstanding Project Award, or OPA, was the Top-Down Pedestrian Underpass at the World Trade Center site in New York City. Robert Yin of the Port Authority of NY and NJ accepted the award for Ray Sandiford, chief geotechnical engineer for the Port Authority. Another highly prestigious award, the Distinguished Service Award, went to David Coleman, of Rich Ellman, MRCE; Robert Yin, Port authority of NY and NJ; and Ed Forte, Skanska Skanska, who was president of DFI in 1999 and 2000 and currently heads up DFI’s Educational Trust. The new award, the C. William Bermingham Innovation Award, was named for a former DFI president (1986- 87) and was awarded to the team of Nicholson Construction and Bermingham Foundation Solutions for an ingenious grouting method, One Pass Drilling & Grouting that accelerated the grouting procedures on at the Port of Miami Tunnel David Coleman, DSA recipient, with family (see Nov/Dec issue, p. 19). Patrick Ber- mingham, the son of William, presented the prize of $5,000 to the successful team during the awards banquet, who then donated the funds to the DFI Educational Trust. The Houston Annual Conference had Luca Barison and Michael Justason receive the Bermingham Innovation Award another innovation: two keynote addresses. One was presented by Steven Wright, professor emeritus, University of Texas, Austin, who spoke about software programs for stability analyses. He warned the audience to be cautious, saying the results could be an “adventure.” Wright also suggested that engineers not rely on one software program as to factor of safety, soil- shear strength and limits of equilibrium, and even recommended three programs. DEEP FOUNDATIONS • JAN/FEB 2013 • 19
